Michael Cohen: Memphis-UConn has the makings of a fine rivalry

Dejected Tigers senior guard Michael Dixon walks off the court after fouling out against Connecticut during Memphis’ 83-73 loss at FedExForum on Thursday night. Dixon finished with a team-high 16 points on 6-for-14 shooting for No. 17 Memphis.

Austin Nichols stood to the side of the interview room in the underbelly of FedExForum on Thursday night, the sweat still drying on his forehead minutes after an 83-73 loss to Connecticut. He fielded questions from a reporter fresh off his first Memphis Tiger basketball game, his first in-the-flesh experience amid the exuberance of a fan base Josh Pastner called the best in the country.

In reality, Nichols, a true freshman, had only a handful more Forum experiences than the reporter in front of him. He's played just eight regular season games in the building that will host the American Athletic Conference tournament come March, but that didn't stop him from making an observation on Thursday.

"I don't think I've ever heard the Forum that loud," Nichols said. "I was telling Nick (King) on the bench that it got pretty loud tonight, and it did. It felt like a tournament game. I definitely think some rivalry could be started."

It sure felt that way, didn't it?

Thursday's game between Memphis and Connecticut was a superb display of college basketball that showcased two of the titans of the newly formed AAC. And with the departure of Louisville next season ― the Cardinals are jumping ship for the Atlantic Coast Conference ― it was a glimpse at the primary torchbearers responsible for the integrity of the league moving forward. They will be joined by Cincinnati as the flagship institutions in the latest bit of realignment fallout.

And though Thursday's matchup was the first between the two schools as league mates, the atmosphere pulsed with the electricity of a rich rivalry. More than 18,000 rowdy fans contributed to a physical tone established from the opening tip, and it took Shaq Goodwin and DeAndre Daniels fewer than three minutes to engage in some post-whistle contact in the paint.

All game long the teams traded punches, with Memphis surging in front toward the end of the first half only to watch its defense crumble in the second. Aggressive defense and big-time shots kept the crowd enthused and the players juiced, and they'll do it all again a month from now in Hartford, Conn.

"The crowd was excellent," Pastner said. "The fans were terrific. I thought they did a great job."

The high-quality basketball coupled with the fans' enthusiasm defined the first chapter in what is likely to become a heated series. That the Huskies snuck out of FedExForum with a win only strengthens the case for a rivalry between two schools with their fair share of similarities.

Both Memphis and Connecticut are led by young, passionate head coaches who have guided their programs through off-the-court issues stemming from their predecessors. Both schools have established pedigrees built on postseason success. And at both institutions men's basketball is the premier athletic attraction.

Just as Memphis is Hoop City, Connecticut is a hoops state.

"Memphis is a hotbed of talent, so they're going to keep getting players," UConn coach Kevin Ollie said." I respect Josh for the job he's doing taking over a tough situation and making it back to where it was before. They're not going anywhere, Cincinnati is not going anywhere, we're not going anywhere.